Monday, March 28, 2011

My mother asked me the other day what I was planning on making for my blog and I responded proudly: "Kahk". "Why?" She asked. "It's too hard, and complicated. Make something easier!" Surprisingly, it's a cookie that is not hard to make, and is well worth the time. And it's a cookie that is so well-known and extends back so far in history that it would almost be a sin to not even try to explain what these cookies are all about.

I remember my first Kahk experience. It was Easter, I was about 16 years old, and we were visiting my father's cousin in the morning. We were all given a little drink, some Tia Maria, I believe to toast for Easter. Right after, a box of these cookies came around. They were all delicately wrapped in wax paper. My Uncle asked if I had ever had a Kahk. I had no idea what he was talking about. He said these are special cookies that are only eaten at Easter or Christmas or any special occasion really. I took a bite and I was hooked.

Since then, I've noticed them everywhere. Bakeries here in Canada and back in Egypt. Homes of my family and my friends. They are everywhere. And they are not hard to make. But why are they so popular?

Apparently an Egyptian poet, Fouad Haddad, claimed: “Oh kahk, master of generosity … we will never stop making you.” It's a cookie that has its origins in Egyptian history from the days of the Pharaohs. And it's a cookie that makes a yearly appearance for Egyptian Muslims to mark the end of Ramadan and bi-yearly for Egyptian Christians to mark Christmas and Easter. Basically, it's a cookie to mark any major festival. And it's a cookie that is so filling, that you only need one. It's commonly called Kahk al-Eid, meaning a cookie of the feast.

Back during the days of the ancient Egyptians, these cookies were made as a snack. There are drawings in some of the Pharaonic temples in ancient Thebes and Memphis (close to Cairo) illustrating the making of kahk. Some drawings, also found on the walls of 18th century dynasty tombs show honey being mixed with butter over a fire, after which flour is added to making a soft and malleable dough. They would mold kahk into different forms or press them into elaborate flower or animal shapes. They were often stuffed with dates and figs and embellished with dried fruits. The image of the sun goddess, Amon, would be added to the cookies. Larger kahk pies, known as shurik, were often made before visting tombs during religious feasts. The idea behind this was the pies served as amulets, thought to boost magical powers.

With the end of the pharaonic period, many of the rituals were kept intact through the Egyptian Christians. Kahk was still a popular ritual, but instead of adorning the cookies with Amon, an image of the cross was added. However, the Amon sun-disc image made a come back when Islam spread into Egypt and the Kahk-making was introduced into Muslim rituals. Regardless of the event, it's usually made by groups of women who get together and whip these out. It is a delicate process, and each woman has her own secret to successful kahk.

Kahk, also extends into other Middle Eastern countries. The word 'kahk' means cookie or biscuit in arabic and can be found in the Levant as the same type of cookie but often made with semolina flour. In other countries, such as Iraq, kahk is a doughnut style hard biscuit that is covered with sesame seeds and eaten as is or with tea. It is known as Kahk bi loz, or almond bracelets. In the Gulf countries, Kahk is known as Mammoul, and is only stuffed with dates.

Don't be put-off by any of the ingredients in this recipe. Kahk can come filled with dates (agameya), walnuts, pistachios, or simply not filled at all. It's all a matter of what you want to do. I love all three, so I made all three fillings.

This is one of the easiest cookie doughs you will probably make. All recipes call for ghee (clarified butter) and butter. But since my last bout with ghee, I've sworn it off, so I opted for vegetable shortening instead, and it worked out wonderfully. If you have access to a middle-east food store, then you will be able to find the key ingredient: Mahlab. This is the seed of a sour cherry pit. It is a spicing that is used in many sweets throughout the Middle East. I will be using it again for an upcoming bread. The other key ingredient is called Rehet al-Kahk. This translates into the smell of Kahk. It sounds a bit complicated, but it is merely three ingredients blended together. I bought it already mixed at the store, but if you can't find it, it is equal parts of fennel seeds, anise seeds and mahlab. That's it. That's the big secret. Another thing which is useful is a mold. I found a traditional one made out of wood in the mid-east food store.

If you can't find one, don't worry, just leave them as is, or use something around the kitchen like a fork to create a pattern.

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About Me

I've always loved to cook and I've always loved learning about my Egyptian heritage. As the first generation born outside of Egypt, my connection to the country has been primarily through food, not language. I created this blog to introduce people to my favourite foods that are found in Egypt, and explain the historical or cultural background of each dish or ingredient. I try to keep each dish simple and not too 'modernized' as I like the traditional approach to cooking. I hope this blog will showcase another aspect of Egypt that is often eclipsed by other Middle Eastern countries in the food department.